In many ways, we could make sure that the Alpine area was becoming a strategic area for sail. In the last four years, the atmosphere on the Austrian, Swiss and Italian Lakes has been getting more and more International. And now, thanks to the Platu 25 Alpen Cup 2011 and the Platu 25 World Championship in Gmunden, on Traunsee Lake (Austria), the Alpine area is definitely going to become a nerve centre.

Indeed, all of this year's important upcoming Platu 25 appointments will take place in this strategic area. The four legs of 2011 Alpen Cup Circuit will be placed, as the previous editions, in Italy, Austria and Switzerland.

The first appointment with the Alpen Cup will be in Malcesine, on the North-East side of the Garda Lake (Italy) from the 29th of April to the first of May. The first Act corresponds to the beginning of the Platu 25 Italian championship. After that, just three weeks later, there will be the second Act in Ebensee on the South side of the Traunsee Lake (Austria) and one week after there will be the most anticipated appointment of the season: the Platu 25 World Championship in Gmunden on the North side of the Traunsee Lake from the 28th May to the third of June.

After this very intensive start, there will be a little break until the end of August. The season then goes on with the third act of the Alpen Cup, which will be held in Brunnen (Switzerland) on the Four Cantons Lake from 26th to 28th of August.). First information about 5.International Alpen-Cup in Brunnen will be online after middle/ end of april 2011 on www.platu25.ch. Thereafter, the Platu 25 crews will go back to Italy in order to compete the fourth and last Act of the Alpen Cup in Bellano, on the Como Lake, from third to the fourth of September.

The registration deadline for the first act in Malcesine (Garda Lake) is getting close. So for all Platu 25 crews interested in taking part of it, it is advisable to register as soon as possible. You can find all information about this regatta on the following website: http://www.fragliavela.org/registration.html. (Sign up: April 29, first round Italian Circuit Platu 25 and then fulfill all the other data).

Everything is getting ready in Gmunden for the next World Championship. As Guenther Prummer, Platu 25 Austrian President, said: 'Up to now there are 35 boats in the list an we expect about 50. Germany has the leaad with 14 boats, followed by Italy and Austria with six boats. Spain and Switzerland are participating with four boats and Russia with one. Another registration from England is expected to follow soon'.

For easy registration to the Platu Worlds in Gmunden, the Austrian fleet prepared a very useful guide with instructions. You can find it on the website: http://www.platu25.at/download/Worlds2011_Registration-Guide.pdf. Other very useful sites are: http://www.platu25.at; http://www.profs.at/Platu-25-worlds.875.0.html and http://www.facebook.com/pages/Platu-25-Austria/165888843943

For other information about the Yacht Club of Traunsee, races areas, accommodation and maps, check out: http://www.profs.at/fileadmin/platu25_user_upload/PLATU25_WM_2011_INFORMATION.pdf